List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2022

Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera. It was first broadcast on 18 March 1985 and airs on digital channel 10 Peach. The following is a list of characters that first appear in the show in 2022, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's executive producer Jason Herbison. The 2022 season of Neighbours began airing from 3 January, following the first Christmas transmission break since 2018, and ran until the series concluded its initial run on 28 July 2022. Zara Selwyn was introduced in the first episode of the season, and Freya Wozniak and Sadie Rodwell made their debuts three weeks later. Kiri Durant made her first appearance in March, while Montana Marcel, Corey Smythe Jones and Harriet Wallace first appeared in April. Asher Nesmith arrived in May. Sian Caton, Alana Greyson, Estelle Petrides, and Sam Young made their debuts in June, while Byron Stone appeared in July, just before the 2022 Neighbours finale.

From 7 January until 26 July, episodes aired on Channel 5 in the UK before their Australian broadcast. Dates below refer to the Australian broadcast, unless otherwise specified.

Zara Selwyn, played by Freya Van Dyke, made her first appearance on 3 January 2022. Van Dyke confirmed her casting via her social media, where she also expressed her excitement at joining the cast. Zara is the teenage daughter of established character Amy Greenwood (Jacinta Stapleton), who has been referred to on-screen since Amy's reintroduction in 2020, along with her two brothers. Zara's introduction was revealed in the trailer that followed the 2021 season finale in December, which shows Zara's arrival disrupting Amy's polyamorous relationship with Ned Willis (Ben Hall) and Levi Canning (Richie Morris). Amy is also heard saying that her daughter needs to be her main priority ahead of the relationship. Van Dyke last appeared on screens as Zara on the final episode of Neighbours, broadcast on 28 July 2022.

Zara walks in on her mother in bed with Ned Willis and Levi Canning, after they have just had a threesome. Amy explains that Ned and Levi slept over after an impromptu party, and Zara demands that she takes her out for breakfast. At The Flamingo Bar, Zara explains that she snuck away from home to hang out with Amy because her family does not understand what it is like to be a girl. Zara meets Amy's friend Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) and gives her mother a Christmas present, which she hopes Amy will hand down to her. Toadie tells Zara to put Amy's alcoholic drink down after she begins drinking it. Later, Amy informs Zara that she is in a polyamorous relationship with Ned and Levi. Zara reacts badly to the news, and the following day treats Amy, Ned and Levi with increased hostility. After Amy gives her an ultimatum to get a part-time job while staying in Erinsborough, Zara reluctantly takes up Ned's offer to work at Harold's Cafe, where she meets Hendrix Greyson (Benny Turland) and learns of his past difficulties in bonding with his father and step-mother. Inspired by Hendrix's story, Zara begins to pursue Levi in an attempt to end her mother's relationships. Zara asks Amy to break up with her boyfriends, so they can enjoy time together, but believes Amy has lied to her when she witnesses her hugging Ned and Levi goodbye. Zara then invites herself into Levi's spa, and accuses him of sexual assault in front of Amy. However, when Amy insists on going to the police if her accusation is genuine, Zara admits it is untrue. Zara apologises to Amy and Levi in a bid to avoid repercussions. While Amy is willing to move on, Levi is unable to and breaks up with Amy.

Meanwhile, Zara is angered by Toadie objecting to her self-entitled behaviour at his house, and spikes the non-alcoholic jelly shots intended for Roxy Willis' (Zima Anderson) hen's party with vodka, one of which is eaten by Toadie's daughter, Nell (Scarlett Anderson). Zara again evades any meaningful punishment by asking to move in with Amy permanently. Zara attends her first day at Erinsborough High, where principal Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne) and teacher Jane Harris (Annie Jones) tell Zara not to alter her uniform in future. Jane introduces Zara to fellow students Sadie Rodwell (Emerald Chan) and Aubrey Laing (Etoile Little), who soon ditch her. Zara is later disappointed to learn that her mother has purchased a food truck and, in anger, Zara sets off the school's fire alarms in front of Jane. Hendrix tells her to pull her head in, before she returns and floods the school toilets. Zara admits to Amy that she tried to get kicked out of school to spend more time with her, so Amy offers her a job at her food truck. However, the two argue again when Susan phones Amy and tells her about the flooding incident, resulting in Zara pushing Amy and walking off, unaware that Amy's broken ribs have punctured her lung.

Freya Wozniak, played by Phoebe Roberts, made her first appearance on 25 January 2022 in Australia and on 20 January in the UK. The character and Roberts' casting was announced via the show's social media accounts on 30 October 2021. She began filming her first scenes the previous week, and is the first new addition to the serial's regular cast since Nicolette Stone (Charlotte Chimes) in July 2020. Roberts expressed her delight about joining the cast, saying "Neighbours is such a huge part of the Australian film and TV industry, it's very exciting to be involved in something so iconic that is also so loved in the UK. As a kid, I tuned in to watch all the drama of Erinsborough unfold, it's surreal to now be a part of that drama!" Roberts' casting occurred shortly after she appeared in Lie With Me, created by Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison. He stated that the scriptwriters had "created a fascinating character for her that is complex, mysterious and a risk taker, she's going to be a lot of fun and Phoebe has already nailed the role." Her character was also billed as "the ultimate mystery girl" and someone who will "bend the rules" if necessary. Susannah Alexander of Digital Spy observed that while Freya does not share a surname with any of the current characters, there was still a possibility that she has a connection to them or a past character. In a promotional trailer for the show's 2022 episodes, Freya is shown to be a potential love interest for Levi Canning (Richie Morris). Levi first encounters Freya in the aftermath of a fatal weather event at The Flamingo Bar. Freya's last appearance is on 28 July 2022 during the serial's finale.

Levi Canning encounters Freya breaching the security tape around the wreckage of The Flamingo Bar, which is the site of a police investigation following the storm that resulted in the death of Britney Barnes (Montana Cox). Freya removes a scarf from the bar, and Levi pursues her and demands its return. Freya insists the scarf is hers, but refuses to provide her details for it to be returned. Later, she asks Nicolette Stone about Britney before Sheila Canning (Colette Mann) tells her more about Levi. After leaving Sheila and Levi, she looks at a picture of an unknown man on her phone. Sheila sets Freya and Levi up on a date and they go Baker's Hill Winery. During their date, Freya asks to see photos from Levi's cousin's wedding and she notices Ned Willis (Ben Hall) wearing the scarf she picked up. Freya asks Ned if the scarf is his and he explains he picked it up while drunk. Freya then proceeds to ask Ned if he knows the unknown man in the photo, who she says is her cousin.

Sadie Rodwell, played by Emerald Chan, made her first appearance on 27 January 2022. Chan's casting details were announced on 18 January 2022. Sadie is introduced alongside mean girl Aubrey Laing (Etoile Little) in a storyline that sees Zara Selwyn (Freya Van Dyke) being bullied at school. Sadie is the daughter of the preintroduced Andrew Rodwell (David Lamb; Lloyd Will) and Wendy Rodwell (Candice Leask). Neighbours executive producer, Jason Herbison, teased, "We also have a new family moving into the street." This led to fan speculation that Sadie, Andrew and Wendy could be promoted to regular characters and it was later revealed on screen that they would be moving into 26 Ramsay Street. In an interview, Chan revealed that she was unaware of Sadie's connection to Andrew and Wendy until the end of her first storyline. Chan was later added to the opening titles. Script producer Shane Isheev revealed that Sadie was planned to have siblings, however the serial's cancellation prevented them from being introduced. Sadie appears in the finale episode of Neighbours on 28 July 2022, and returned when the series recommenced in 2023.